Presidential candidates’ bodyguards say still demanding EC allowances

KAMPALA - Over 100 bodyguards and the drivers of the eight presidential candidates in the just concluded 2026 General Election are demanding payment of over shillings 10 million from the Electoral Commission (EC) for their unpaid campaign allowances.

The bodyguards, sourced from different units including the Very Important Persons Protection Unit (VIPPU) and Vital Installations Security (VIS) were deployed by the Uganda Police Force (UPF) to provide security to presidential candidates, claim they have not been paid their allowances.

 “We were sourced from tourism, tactical, criminal investigations directorate (CIDs) and counter terrorism units, but we have waited for long without any hope of getting our allowances as assigned,” James Odong, one of the bodyguards, says.

Odong added that their commandant, Commissioner of Police David Manzi, called all the bodyguards and crews that were assigned to do the operation briefly at Nsambya, but his hands were tied over the matter, and he referred them to the EC for an explanation.

“It has been two weeks since we ended our assignment and we are suspicious our money might be whisked away by mafias,” he added.

Deus Muduku, who was part of the protection detail of Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC’s) flag-bearer Nathan Nandala Mafabi, said there were 16 bodyguards assigned per presidential candidate, but they only received shillings six million out of 9.72 million.

“We were supposed to be paid sh90,000 in allowances per day for our per diem, but we spent some days when we were hungry. The total amount we received when we were still in the field is shillings 6.06 million,” Muduku said.

Richard Ateng, who guarded Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential candidate Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu said EC first sent them shillings 1,530,000, then 2,700,000 and finally 1,830,000.

“We did not tell our clients that they were not giving us our money, but we kept asking our friends to help us with accommodation and meals, promising to pay them later. We knew that the candidates would call at the head office to withdraw us if they learnt that we were unhappy, so we kept working expecting to be paid after work,” he said.

However, it should be noted that incumbent president Yoweri Museveni, who was the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) flagbearer, was guarded by the elite Special Forces (SFC). SFC spokesperson Maj. Jimmy Dennis Omala told New Vision Online that those involved during the presidential campaigns were catered for under the State House budget.

Some of the presidential candidate's guards escorting Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu while conducting his campaigns in Kayunga district last year. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

Commandant   

When Manzi was contacted, he said the Police had nothing to do with the facilitation of those who were conducting EC work at the time of moving with the candidates.

“The Government pays their monthly salary, but the aspect of paying bodyguards their per diem regarding such duties during campaigns was handled by the EC and not the Police,” he said.

"I, however, urge officers to prioritise discipline and hard work in their duties, but they exercised a high level of professionalism apart from such a complaint," Manzi added.
The driver, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had taken weeks without pay, having to use EC cards to fuel cars to escort presidential candidates on the campaign trail.

EC responds

Responding to the bodyguards' concerns, EC spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi said they [bodyguards] had not made a claim for their money and that they should have lodged their complaint through their deployment officers.

“The election period has not ended yet, we also have other workers who are waiting for the commission to pay their enumerations, which we are handling,” Mucunguzi assured.